‘I was also expecting them to be really white’ – Sindiswa Gomba has SA scratching its head

An out-of-context clip featuring Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba speaking about the Cuban doctors recently deployed to assist with the treatment of Covid-19 patients in the province has caused confusion and second-hand embarrassment among a small group of social media users.

They have since been trying to figure out what she meant while sharing their hopes her statement did not offend the visiting doctors.

“You know premier, I was also expecting them to be really white as they did in the North West, but I’m sure there was just communication breakdown. My apologies to you,” said Gomba in a 17-second clip that has been shared to social media.

https://www.facebook.com/lu.matanga/videos/10220771249607545/

Gomba was speaking at a welcoming ceremony for the group of 20, who will soon be joined by an additional set of doctors.

EC Premier Lubabalo
Mabuyane with his team including Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba in EL ahead of welcoming ceremony of group of 20 Cuban doctors that have joined EC's ongoing efforts to curb spread of COVID-19@OscarMabuyane@DrZweliMkhize@PresidencyZA @AndyDontsa
@digitalmzu8 pic.twitter.com/owoLCPSZK6

— @healthecmec (@healthecmec) May 17, 2020

The large group of doctors who arrived in the country last month had been holed up in Pretoria, undergoing a mandatory quarantine period following their recent flight into the country.

After testing negative for Covid-19, the doctors have now been cleared to report for duty and are being “released” to their respective stations in small batches.

The first group of doctors was sent to the North West province while the following group were dispatched to the Eastern Cape.

Social media users have been questioning what Gomba meant all morning while others have offered up possible theories that the clip was in reference to coats and not the doctors themselves, as many have come to believe.

The sooner Gomba leaves her office the better. How can one defend her when she behaves like this.

— José Pirate's (@Thobani77770863) May 18, 2020

.

https://twitter.com/Ms_Onesimo/status/1262318129558032385?s=20

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.